Ralph Lauren quietly shuttered its two-year-old 20,000-square-foot store last week. Other brands are expected to close boutiques in a city that has lost its luster for cash-rich mainland Chinese tourists.

THE SCENT OF SPEED: Ferrari is gearing up to launch a new men’s scent, dubbed Scuderia, inspired by the Ferrari of the same name and the world of Formula One. Spanish Scuderia Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has been tapped to be the face of the scent, slated to roll out in Italy and the U.K. in September. Produced by Italy-based Morris Profumi, a subsidiary of Perfume Holding, the new Scuderia eau de toilette is said to be one of a slew of forthcoming launches aimed at refreshing the holding company’s existing scent portfolio. Also revving up to hit the beauty racetrack is Belstaff. Known for its biker-chic credentials, the company revealed to WWD it has a fragrance in the pipeline scheduled for January and a skin care line on tap for June. All the products will mirror the brand’s biker and outdoorsy spirit with sunscreens and antismog creams. Belstaff wouldn’t disclose its partner for the project.

AMBASSADOR ARTEST: Pro basketball player Ron Artest is doing his part to tighten ties between China and the U.S. In addition to an endorsement deal with Beijing-based Peak, a 5,000-store athletic shoe retailer that’s moving to expand Stateside, the L.A. Laker is readying to introduce a Chinese soul singer named Shin Shin to American airwaves. A sultry 25-year-old songwriter from Beijing, Shin aims to drop her first album early next year on Artest’s record label, Tru Warier. “China took care of me. I always want to give back. What better way to do it than with an artist from China,” Artest said. As for a clothing line, the 6-foot, 7-inch basketball forward said he’s got something in the works, though it’ll probably look more like his favorite label, Sean John, than his personal wardrobe, which consisted that night of a Lakers track jacket and matching cap. “I dress like a bum,” Artest said. “When you want to look like a bum, dress like me.”

NEW HORIZONS: Paris-based men’s tailoring brand Arnys is interested in finding a U.S. partner to open its first boutique in New York, according to Jean Grimbert, co-owner of the brand. Best known for its Forestière jacket and founded in 1933, the brand has dressed the likes of Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway and, more recently, Pierre Bergé and François-Henri Pinault. It is stocked in a handful of U.S. stores, including George Greene in Chicago. “The brand is confidential,” said Grimbert. “The U.S. is an obvious market for us.” Arnys is also seeking a distributor in Japan following the expiration of its contract with Sanki, he added.

HAPPY B-DAY, BETSEY: You have to respect a woman in the fashion industry who isn’t afraid to tell her age. On the Evite to her birthday party next week, Betsey Johnson is smiling widely, rocking a black-and-white stripe body-con dress and holding up a conversation bubble saying, “Ain’t it great…to be 68!?” The bash is scheduled for Wednesday at the designer’s SoHo boutique. It ends at 8 p.m., which some might consider an appropriate hour for a lady of Johnson’s age, but considering this is a woman still cartwheeling down runways, it’s a safe bet she’s organized an after party.

DSQUARED TIMES THREE: Dsquared is forging ahead with its retail expansion plan by opening three new stores in Monte Carlo, Monaco; Athens, and Thessaloníki, Greece, this month. Beatriz Trezeguet, wife of Juventus striker David Trezeguet, is a partner in the 1,582-square-foot Monte Carlo store, which will face Avenue des Citronniers. The 2,153-square-foot Athens boutique will be spread out over four floors of a historical building in the city’s center, while the two-level, 2,207-square-foot Thessaloníki store will be at 9 Mitropolitou Iosif Street. The interiors will trace the ones of the Milan flagship — a Canadian wilderness-inspired decor that features lighting draped over deer horns, tree trunks that come up out of the floor and mock beaver rugs. First-year sales forecasts weren’t available and plans for more outposts in China are in progress.

KIRKWOOD ON THE RUNWAY: Footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood will add a collection with London-based label Peter Pilotto to his portfolio come fall. The designer has partnered with the label’s designers, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, who are known for their prints, to design two shoe styles. They will make their debuts at the Peter Pilotto spring runway show at London Fashion Week in September, and will then wholesale from October. Kirkwood has been designing the label’s runway shoes for two seasons, but spring marks the first time the collection will go into production. “Nicholas has a commitment to quality and accuracy, coupled with sensitivity for what is needed to help bring a vision to reality,” said Pilotto and De Vos. It’s not Kirkwood’s first fashion collaboration — he’s designed footwear for Rodarte for five seasons and Erdem for two seasons. Those collections are sold at stores including Dover Street Market and Harvey Nichols in London and Opening Ceremony in New York.

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@rebeccaminkoff is bringing self-checkout to high fashion: The brand has partnered with @queuehop to bring its customers self-checkout options, beginning this holiday season at its SoHo store. (📷: @aurorarosephoto)

It was a big night for Demna Gvasalia at the Fashion Awards 2016 in London: The designer took home the award for international ready-to-wear designer for his work at @balenciaga, while his brand @vetements_official scooped international urban luxury brand. (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo)